Stolen credit card replacement while overseas
 

Hi everyone,
I just had my wallet stolen from my hotel room, the Heathrow Lodge near London's Heathrow airport, please don't stay there if you can help it! Anyway, I've been told so many different stories about when my replacement card will actually arrive, 24-48 hours, then 2-3 business days. Has anyone has this experience being an Australian overseas and having to have a replacement card sent? It is a replacement card, not an emergency card which I understand take 24-48 hours.
Cheers.

We lost a VisaCard in Paris a few years ago. Called the number on the card and eventually got connected with someone in Dusseldorf. The next morning we had replacement cards.

This IS an "emergency" unless you want to sit without one for three or four days!!!!

^^^

Dear m_or_c:

Just for my own reference, was your wallet stolen from your room safe, your luggage, or was it left setting out?

I'm curious as to whether or not those room safes are really that safe.

Thanks, and hope you get your replacement card soon!

I was wondering the same thing. My wallet has never been in a hotel room that I wasn't in at the same time. So for my wallet to be stolen I'd have had to have been there when the stealing was going on.

I left my hotel room for 5 minutes max, I was going to get some Macca's for breakfast, upon closing my door did a mental check - keys, wallet, phone - but got 500 yards down the street and realised I didnt have my wallet! Turned around and went to go get it and could not find it anywhere. I know I had it before I left because I counted the money that was in it, but then I got distracted and must have put it down somewhere. My room was on the groun floor of a guest house type accommodation, where the cleaners roam in and out freely with keys to every room, no security cameras, cans of trash and 3 foot high grass surrounding the place, dodgiest place ever. I think someone must have been watching me leave, and then when I came back all of a sudden they had to get out real quick and all they had time to get was my wallet, as my laptop and passport where still in the room. I'm now staying in a guesthouse with some lovely people and has a security lock on the downstairs door, feeling much safer here!

Hi m or c. I am sure sorry for the theft of your wallet and I hope you receive a replacement credit card right away.

But your post is a good reminder to all of us to never ever leave anything important (passport, wallet etc) in your room for any length of time.

As I have stated before I was careless one day and laid my credit card on the supermarket checkout stand while I signed the credit card receipt. In that short of time my credit card was stolen (I believe it was the cashier for various reasons). Fortunatly I was in my home city but it certainly taught me a lesson.

Best wishes for a good trip!!

m_or_c: Thanks for getting back to us on this and also for the reminder to always be on one's guard. It's easy to get complacent.

BTW: The bad guys don't even need keys... my sister had an experience where they put tape on the door so it wouldn't lock properly - presumably after the cleaning crew departed.

All the best to you and please let us know how your trip turns out.